Intro to Ecology Flashcards
What is ecology?
scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their physical environment
List the ecological hierarchy
organisms, populations, community, ecosystems, biome, biosphere
Individual Organism
one member of a species
Species
group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring
Population (ecology)
a group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area
Community (ecology)
an assemblage of different populations that live together in a defined area
Ecosystem
all the organisms that live in a place, together with their physical environment
Biome
a group of ecosystems that share similar climates and typical organisms
Biosphere
our entire planet, with all its organisms and physical environments
Biotic factors
any living part of the environment
ex) animals, plants, mushrooms, bacteria
Abiotic factors
any nonliving part of the environment
ex) sunlight, wind, soil, humidity
What is the difference between biotic factors and abiotic factors?
biotic factors are living
abiotic factors are nonliving
Habitat
the general place of where an organism lives
Niche
the range of physical and biological conditions in which a species that obtains what it needs to survive and reproduce
What is the difference between habitat and niche?
habitat describes the area of which an organism lives
niche describes the prime conditions at which an organism needs to survive and reproduce